Handle interlock for canister vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner construction wherein a handle for carrying or moving a canister, a wheel or caster for movably supporting a portion of the canister during use, and a foot pedal for permitting control of the vacuum cleaner motor by the user&#39;&#39;s foot are mounted to a base of the canister and include cooperating interlocking shoulders for providing maintained association thereof. The construction is arranged to permit disassembly and reassembly when desired.

United States Patent [1 1 Westergren et al.

[ Oct. 23, 1973 1 HANDLE INTERLOCK FOR CANISTER VACUUM CLEANER [75] Inventors: George A. Westergren, White Bear Lake; David G. Koland, Sandstone; Thomas F. Eggert, Richfield; Dale R. Frondal, Cottage Grove, all of Minn.

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich.

221 Filed: June 13, 1972 21 Appl.No.: 262,357

[52] U.S. Cl. 15/327 R, 15/410 [51] Int. Cl. A471 5/36, A471 9/32 [58] Field of Search 15/327 R, 327 D,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,369,519 2/1945 Barber 15/327 EX 3,170,184 2/1965 .lepson et al. 15/327 R X 3,490,089 1/1970 Lagerstrom 15/327 R 3,619,850 11/1971 Rideout et a1. 15/327 D X Primary ExaminerHarvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerC. K. Moore Attorney-James S. Nettleton et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A vacuum cleaner construction wherein a handle for carrying or moving a canister, a wheel or caster for movably supporting a portion of the canister during use, and a foot pedal for permitting control of the vacuum cleaner motor by the users foot are mounted to a base of the canister and include cooperating interlocking shoulders for providing maintained association thereof. The construction is arranged to permit disassembly and reassembly when desired.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures HANDLE INTERLOCK FOR CANISTER VACUUM CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and in particular to canister type vacuum cleaners.

2. Description of the Prior Art The use of canister type vacuum cleaners, wherein the fan and dust collecting bag are mounted in a canister movably carried on suitable wheels and with the pickup nozzle unit connected thereto by means of a flexible hose, is well known in the art. Different examples of such canister type vacuum cleaners are shown in the following US. Pats.:

No. 2,774,585, Kelly, Canister-type vacuum cleaner;

No. 2,814,358, Beede et al., Automatic Vacuum Cleaners;

No. 2,867,834, Kelly, Tank Type Vacuum Cleaner;

No. 3,003,179, Descarries, Wheeled Support Structure for Vacuum Cleaners;

No. 3,092,868, Descarries, Suction Cleaner;

No. 3,490,089, Lagerstrom, Combination Handle and Switch Actuator;

No. 3,619,850, Ridgeout et al., Vacuum Cleaner;

No. 3,619,851, Bolzan, Jr. et al., Convertible Canister Vacuum Cleaner.

The various elements of the prior art canister constructions are conventionally secured together by conventional means such as screws, rivets, etc. Various types of fastening means are also found in the prior art for use in removably connecting handles and the like to base elements. Examples of such fastener U.S. Pats. are those of:

No. 324,671, Drake, Frying Pan;

No. 2,175,632, Maga, Handle;

No. 2,205,259, I-Iarbison, Fastening Means;

No. 3,334,782, Friberg, Container with a Removable Handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved vacuum cleaner construction including a wheeled base, electrically operated air flow means carried by the base for drawing air through a pick-up tube and removing dirt from the drawn air, a handle for manipulating the vacuum cleaner, a front swivel caster unit, switch means for controlling the electrical operation of the air flow means, and a foot pedal for operating the switch means, means for mounting the handle, front swivel caster unit and foot pedal to the base defining cooperating interlocking shoulders on the base and the handle, front swivel caster unit, and foot pedal structures permitting removal of two of the structures from the base only upon the removal of the third of the structures from the base.

More specifically in the present canister construction, removal of the foot pedal is required to permit removal of the handle and front swivel caster units.

The front swivel caster unit may include a support plate slidably received in a slot on the base with the foot pedal defining a shoulder extending across an open end of the slot for retaining the front swivel caster unit support plate therein.

The canister construction is arranged, in the illustrated embodiment, to permit removal of either one or both of the front swivel caster unit and the handle structure from the base upon prior removal of the foot pedal.

Further illustratively, the foot pedal may include a spring catch resiliently engageable with a rigid interlocking shoulder on the base.

The handle structure may be arranged to be removable downwardly from the base with the interlocking shoulder of the foot pedal structure underlying an interlocking shoulder of the handle structure whereby the foot pedal structure effectively supports the handle structure against such downward removal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a canister type vacuum cleaner in use;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the canister construction;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof looking upwardly at the front portion;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view similar to that of FIG. 3 but with the handle, the front swivel caster unit, and the foot pedal spaced from the base;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal elevation taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view with portions broken away;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawing, a vacuum cleaner generally designated 10 is shown to comprise a canister type vacuum cleaner having a canister 11 and a wand 12 connected to the canister by a conventional hose 13. The canister includes a base 14 including rear wheels 15 and a front swivel caster l6 permitting the canister to move over the surface of the floor in following the movements of the user in manipulating the wand 12. The canister further includes a cover 17 for permitting controlled access to the interior of the canister such as for replacing the dust collecting bag (not shown) therein.

Electrical operation of the vacuum cleanei is controlled by a switch 18 carried on the base 14 subjacent a carrying handle 19. As shown in FIG. 3, the switch 18 is disposed adjacent the front swivel caster 16 atthe bottom wall 20 of the base. Operation of the switch 18 herein is efiected by a foot pedal 21 which is mounted on the base 14 adjacent the bottom wall 20 to project forwardly from the front wall 22 under the handle 19. The foot pedal is deflectible by the users foot bearing downwardly thereagainst so as to engage the actuator portion 23 of the switch 18 for selective control of the electrical operation of the vacuum cleaner.

The present invention comprehends an improved construction of the vacuum cleaner canister wherein the handle 19, the front swivel caster unit 24, of which wheel or caster 16 is a part, and the foot pedal 21 are cooperatively interlocked with the base 14 to provide the desired retained association thereof in the canister construction.

As shown in FIG. 4, base 14 defines a pair of corner recesses 25 at the opposite sides of the front wall 22. Handle 19 comprises a U-shaped element having a bight portion 26 and opposite leg portions 27 terminating at their distal ends in connector portions 28. The corner recesses 25 and connector portions 28 cooperatively define vertically elongate tongue-in-groove means generally designated 29 locking the handle to the base against horizontal movement. Foot pedal 21 includes a pair of locking portions 30 (FIG. 8) defining upwardly facing shoulders 31 (FIG. 8) underlying the connector portions 28 of the handle to preclude downward movement of the handle when installed in the corner recesses 25.

The foot pedal 21 includes a forward pedal portion 32 and a rearward hinge portion 33. The hinge portion 33 is provided with rearwardly projecting locking tabs 34 which pass through suitable openings 35 in the canistcr front wall 22. The distal rear end of each of the locking tabs defines a forwardly facing latch shoulder 36 engaging a rearwardly facing catch shoulder 37 carried by the base 14 as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8.

Bottom wall 20 of the canister may be provided with suitable openings 38 to permit introduction of a suitable tool, such as a screwdriver (not shown), therethrough to pry the locking tabs laterally to disengage shoulders 36 and 37 for removal of the foot pedal 21 when desired.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pedal portion 32 of foot pedal 21 projects forwardly from canister front wall 22 to permit downward deflection by the users foot about the hinge portion 33 and permit a rear wall portion 39 to be deflected rearwardly for engaging switch actuator 23 for controlling the operation of the vacuum cleaner.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom wall 20 of base 14 further defines a forwardly and downwardly opening slot 40. As best seen in FIG. 7, the front swivel caster unit 24 includes a base plate 41 having side edge portions 42 slidably received in the slot 40. The base plate carries suitable supports 43 for swiveling mounting of the wheel or caster 16 to the base plate.

Mounting plate 41 is prevented from movement forwardly outwardly of slot 40 by a rear surface portion 44 of the foot pedal hinge 33 which overlies the front end of the slot 40 in the installed arrangement of the foot pedal on the base, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, foot pedal 21 not only serves to define means for locking the connecting portions 28 of the handle 19 to the base 14 in the recesses 25, but further serves to retain the front swivel caster unit 24 on the base in slot 40.

The rear distal ends of the locking tabs 34 further define inclined camming surfaces 45 for faciliatated introduction movement of the locking tabs 34 through the openings 35 to the fully inserted position of FIG. 6 wherein the shoulder 36 engages the base shoulder 37. Thus, retained association of the handle 19, front swivel caster unit 24, and foot pedal 21 is effected in an extremely simple manner by simply urging the connecting portions 28 into dovetailed association with the corner recesses 25 in the tongue-in-groove means 29, slidably inserting the base plate 41 in the slot 40 and inserting the foot pedal locking tabs 34 through the openings 35 into locked association with the base shoulder 37. When so installed, each of the handle 19 front swivel caster unit 24, and foot pedal 21 is positively retained in association with the canister base 14 without the need for further securing means or securing operation.

As indicated above, if for any reason it is desired to remove any or all of the three elements thusly mounted to the base, removal of the foot pedal 21 may be readily effected by the urging of the locking tabs 34 laterally to disengage the shoulders 36 from the shoulders 37 and thereby permit forward withdrawal of the locking tabs through the openings 35 whereupon each of the handle 19, front swivel caster unit 24, and foot pedal 21 may be removed from the base as desired.

The handle 19 and foot pedal 21 may be inexpensively formed as by molding thereof from a suitable plastic. The base may similarly comprise a molded plastic base permitting the formation of the shoulders, tongue-in-groove means, etc. as integral molded portions thereof.

Thus, the canister construction of the present invention is extremely simple and economical while yet providing the highly desirable features discussed above. Maintenance of the vacuum cleaner when desired is facilitated by the ability to effect simple disassembly of the elements through the medium of only a single prying tool. The interlocking shoulders provide positive maintained association of the elements and effectively preclude undesirable association as may occur where securing elements, such as screws, are employed which tend to loosen as a result of vibrations developed in the operation of the vacuum cleaner apparatus.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner canister construction having a wheeled base, electrically operated air flow means carried by the base for drawing air through a pick-up tube and removing dirt from the drawn air, a handle for manipulating the vacuum cleaner, a swivel caster unit, switch means for controlling the electrical operation of the air flow means, and a foot pedal for operating the switch means,

means for mounting said handle, swivel caster unit and foot pedal to said base defining cooperating interlocking shoulders on said base and said handle, swivel caster unit, and foot pedal structures permitting removal of two of said structures from the base only upon the removal of the third of such structures from the base.

2. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein prior removal of said foot pedal is required to permit removal of said handle and swivel caster unit from said base.

3. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said base defines a slot and said swivel caster unit includes a support plate slidably received in said slot, said foot pedal defining a shoulder disposed across an open end of the slot to prevent removal of said support plate.

4. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said wheeled base includes rear wheels and said swivel caster unit defines a front wheel of the vacuum cleaner, said handle and foot pedal structures being mounted to the base at a front portion thereof adjacent said swivel caster unit.

5. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said interlocking shoulders comprise means for permitting independent removal of either one of said swivel caster unit and handle structures upon prior removal of said foot pedal.

6. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said base includes a rigid interlocking shoulder and the interlocking shoulder of said third of said structures comprises a spring catch resiliently engageable with and disengageable from said rigid base shoulder for selectively permitting removal of said third structure from said base as a result of the disengagement of said spring catch from said rigid base shoulder.

7. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said base includes a rigid interlocking shoulder and the interlocking shoulder of said foot pedal comprises a spring catch resiliently engageable with and disengageable from said rigid base shoulder for selectively permitting removal of said foot pedal from said base as a result of the disengagement of said spring catch from said rigid base shoulder.

8. In a canister vacuum cleaner having a wheeled base, electrically operated air flow means carried by the base for drawing air through a pick-up tube and removing dirt from the drawn air, a handle for manipulatingthe vacuum cleaner, switch means for controlling the electrical operation of the air flow means, and a foot pedal for operating the switch means,

means for mounting said handle and foot pedal to said base defining cooperating interlocking shoulders on said base and said handle and foot pedal structures permitting removal of one of said structures from the base only upon the removal of the other of said structures from the base.

9. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 8 wherein prior removal of said foot pedal is required to permit removal of said handle from said base.

10. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 8 wherein said vacuum cleaner means includes at least one further removable element having an interlocking shoulder and one of said structures further defines an interlocking shoulder cooperating with said shoulder of the further removable element to permit removal of said further removable element only upon prior removal of said one of said structures from the base.

11. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 8 wherein said handle structure is removable downwardly from said base and said interlocking shoulder of the foot pedal structure underlies said interlocking shoulder of the handle structure. 

1. In a vacuum cleaner canister construction having a wheeled base, electrically operated air flow means carried by the base for drawing air through a pick-up tube and removing dirt from the drawn air, a handle for manipulating the vacuum cleaner, a swivel caster unit, switch means for controlling the electrical operation of the air flow means, and a foot pedal for operating the switch means, means for mounting said handle, swivel caster unit and foot pedal to said base defining cooperating interlocking shoulders on said base and said handle, swivel caster unit, and foot pedal structures permitting removal of two of said structures from the base only upon the removal of the third of such structures from the base.
 2. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein prior removal of said foot pedal is required to permit removal of said handle and swivel caster unit from said base.
 3. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said base defines a slot and said swivel caster unit includes a support plate slidably received in said slot, said foot pedal defining a shoulder disposed across an open end of the slot to prevent removal of said support plate.
 4. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said wheeled base includes rear wheels and said swivel caster unit defines a front wheel of the vacuum cleaner, said handle and foot pedal structures being mounted to the base at a front portion thereof adjacent said swivel caster unit.
 5. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said interlocking shoulders comprise means for permitting independent removal of either one of said swivel caster unit and handle structures upon prior removal of said foot pedal.
 6. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said base includes a rigid interlocking shoulder and the interlocking shoulder of said third of said structures comprises a spring catch resiliently engageable with and disengageable from said rigid base shoulder for selectively permitting removal of said third structure from said base as a result of the disengagement of said spring catch from said rigid base shoulder.
 7. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 1 wherein said base includes a rigid interlocking shoulder and the interlocking shoulder of said foot pedal comprises a spring catch resiliently engageable with and disengageable from said rigid base shoulder for selectively permitting removal of said foot pedal from said base as a result of the disengagement of said spring catch from said rigid base shoulder.
 8. In a canister vacuum cleaner having a wheeled base, electrically operated air flow means carried by the base for drawing air through a pick-up tube and removing dirt from the drawn air, a handle for manipulating the vacuum cleaner, switch means for controlling the electrical operation of the air flow means, and a foot pedal for operating the switch means, means for mounting said handle and foot pedal to said base defining cooperating interlocking shoulders on said base and said handle and foot pedal structures permitting removal of one of said structures from the base only upon the removal of the other of said structures from the base.
 9. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 8 wherein prior removal of said foot pedal is required to permit removal of said handle from said base.
 10. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 8 wherein said vacuum cleaner meAns includes at least one further removable element having an interlocking shoulder and one of said structures further defines an interlocking shoulder cooperating with said shoulder of the further removable element to permit removal of said further removable element only upon prior removal of said one of said structures from the base.
 11. The canister vacuum cleaner means of claim 8 wherein said handle structure is removable downwardly from said base and said interlocking shoulder of the foot pedal structure underlies said interlocking shoulder of the handle structure. 